DCI

[Anonymous]

I went to the DCI open house and found it very informative. Both the middle and high school principals were there presenting and the presentation was very thorough. Lots of good info presented about IB programs, requirements, and tracks options in high school. I was impressed with the new middle school principal and found her to be articulate, honest, and forthcoming.

Some data points for those considering:

Spanish tracking - based on recommendations and standardized test scores from feeder schools. Then they test all the kids the 1st month to ensure in the right track and will move them if needed.

Math tracking - incoming 6th graders there are 2 levels with 6th grade or 7th grade math. Placement based on teacher recommendation and standardized test scores of 90% or above for higher track. In 7th grade there are 3 track levels - 7th, 8th, and 9th grade math. Highest level will take AP Calculus in 10th. Then 2 post calculus math courses are offered at standard level and high level. The high level courses are very difficult.

Each year, the cohort of kids moving up to high school are getting stronger. They alluded that they are going to need to expand advance math offerings.

68% of their kids score well on IB exams to get college credit (equivalent to 4 or 5 on AP tests)

Support of low performing kids - standardized scores 21-40%, tutoring class 2 days a week. 20% and below, tutoring class 5 days a week replacing 1 elective

Student retention 94%

Teacher retention 85%. Target 90%

Middle school principal says past 1.5 years since she has been here, she has started some initiatives to decrease screens and chromebook’s in the classroom such as having workbooks in English class, etc…

Study abroad programs for kids at higher level language tracks

20-30 lunch clubs, 60 or so after school clubs in addition to sports

Goal of school was not to be a sport powerhouse, but they have done really well and won numerous championships in their division/league. Won 7 or 8 so far this year.

Kids doing well with college admits so far this year. 2 early decision Ivy admits so far in addition to other good schools. 30 million in scholarships so far

Basically no chance in spanish track for non-feeder kids. They were very forthright about this. You can still list in lottery just in case but they don’t expect so.


Hope that helps those considering now or in the future. I wish other schools were as thorough and transparent with info and data at their open houses.

[Anonymous]

Thank you! This summary is super helpful. Did they say anything about their cell phone policy for students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you! This summary is super helpful. Did they say anything about their cell phone policy for students?

She said they take them at the beginning of class.

[Anonymous]

CAPE scores seem low: almost 70% below grade level in math and more than half below grade level in English.

Did they discuss that?

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

[Anonymous]

^^ Many high-performing DC high schools in the past year, including McKinley Tech, had a tumble in CAPE scores. DCI went up in their IB (International Baccalaureate) scores. Which would you prefer they go up in? (I would prefer IB, not the CAPE, produced by the people who brought us PARCC, which hardly anyone uses.) These high schools are working hard to get their CAPE scores up, but there's more to their accomplishments than this one number.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ Many high-performing DC high schools in the past year, including McKinley Tech, had a tumble in CAPE scores. DCI went up in their IB (International Baccalaureate) scores. Which would you prefer they go up in? (I would prefer IB, not the CAPE, produced by the people who brought us PARCC, which hardly anyone uses.) These high schools are working hard to get their CAPE scores up, but there's more to their accomplishments than this one number.

Yeah, especially for high school CAPE numbers, particularly Math numbers, are close to irrelevant. Look at SATs, AP scores, college admissions, school approaches, discipline, attendance numbers, almost anything else before CAPE numbers.

The only reason why they are at all relevant in elementary school is because they are the only numbers we have, and everyone takes them. Neither of these is true at the high school level.

[Anonymous]

PP wasn’t asking for DCI boosters’ opinions.

PP was asking if the school addressed at the open house DCI’s lackluster CAPE scores,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP wasn’t asking for DCI boosters’ opinions.

PP was asking if the school addressed at the open house DCI’s lackluster CAPE scores,

+1. Pay attention, people.

[Anonymous]

I am one of the people who responded because I think it's helpful to tell parents starting to consider high schools information about scores that is not self explanatory. The good news is that I don't actually need your approval to post here.

Also, I'm not a DCI booster, in fact I'm not even a fan of theirs but based on hearsay so nothing I care to repeat here.

[Anonymous]

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-public-middle-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CAPE scores seem low: almost 70% below grade level in math and more than half below grade level in English.

Did they discuss that?

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

OP no they did not. But as a data person, you should look at data in the appropriate context.

Look at the data of Deal and Hardy. Their numbers are just a little higher but they also have much less at risk, english learners, and students with disabilities.

Look at JR, tad higher but again same.

Look at Latin combined middle and high school stats and not too much difference except again DCI has higher percentage of at risk, english learners, and IEP, some groups almost 3-4 times higher.

Look at any other non-selective middle and high school in the city and they are far ahead.



I’ll also add that except for Basis, all other schools the kids in advance math tracks are not taking CAPE if they are pass that level. Basis cooks their math stats to look good by having kids take geometry who are way pass that. So if you want to actually compare any schools math stats to Basis, you need have all these high performing kids at DCI from 10th on take the CAPE and scores will shoot up. Therefore, I just pretty much ignore the math CAPE data at Basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Many high-performing DC high schools in the past year, including McKinley Tech, had a tumble in CAPE scores. DCI went up in their IB (International Baccalaureate) scores. Which would you prefer they go up in? (I would prefer IB, not the CAPE, produced by the people who brought us PARCC, which hardly anyone uses.) These high schools are working hard to get their CAPE scores up, but there's more to their accomplishments than this one number.

Yeah, especially for high school CAPE numbers, particularly Math numbers, are close to irrelevant. Look at SATs, AP scores, college admissions, school approaches, discipline, attendance numbers, almost anything else before CAPE numbers.

The only reason why they are at all relevant in elementary school is because they are the only numbers we have, and everyone takes them. Neither of these is true at the high school level.

True. High schools who offer very advance math tracks and have a good cohort of kids on that track, none are taking the CAPE at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Many high-performing DC high schools in the past year, including McKinley Tech, had a tumble in CAPE scores. DCI went up in their IB (International Baccalaureate) scores. Which would you prefer they go up in? (I would prefer IB, not the CAPE, produced by the people who brought us PARCC, which hardly anyone uses.) These high schools are working hard to get their CAPE scores up, but there's more to their accomplishments than this one number.

Yeah, especially for high school CAPE numbers, particularly Math numbers, are close to irrelevant. Look at SATs, AP scores, college admissions, school approaches, discipline, attendance numbers, almost anything else before CAPE numbers.

The only reason why they are at all relevant in elementary school is because they are the only numbers we have, and everyone takes them. Neither of these is true at the high school level.

True. High schools who offer very advance math tracks and have a good cohort of kids on that track, none are taking the CAPE at all.

I believe this, but am curious where you find those other numbers? Are SATs and AP scores publicly available for all schools? What about ELA CAPE scores? Are those irrelevant at the high school level as well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CAPE scores seem low: almost 70% below grade level in math and more than half below grade level in English.

Did they discuss that?

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

OP no they did not. But as a data person, you should look at data in the appropriate context.

Look at the data of Deal and Hardy. Their numbers are just a little higher but they also have much less at risk, english learners, and students with disabilities.

Look at JR, tad higher but again same.

Look at Latin combined middle and high school stats and not too much difference except again DCI has higher percentage of at risk, english learners, and IEP, some groups almost 3-4 times higher.

Look at any other non-selective middle and high school in the city and they are far ahead.



I’ll also add that except for Basis, all other schools the kids in advance math tracks are not taking CAPE if they are pass that level. Basis cooks their math stats to look good by having kids take geometry who are way pass that. So if you want to actually compare any schools math stats to Basis, you need have all these high performing kids at DCI from 10th on take the CAPE and scores will shoot up. Therefore, I just pretty much ignore the math CAPE data at Basis.

I would argue then that DCI does better than some of the schools above with their lower performing students. At least they are trying to raise up the boat by subjectively identifying and targeting these kids with a set process in place and providing tutoring and remedial classes. In addition, they are offering advance courses to the high performing students with objective data like standardized test scores and in house testing.

Above is what you should do instead of dumbing down the curriculum and trying to narrow the achievement gap by bringing the top down like in DCPS. Classic example honors for all at JR and the change in admissions criteria, which is totally opaque and subjective, like at Walls.

[Anonymous]

This is not nearly as granular as it could be but some DCPS AP stats are here.
https://dcps.dc.gov/publication/ap-score-data-sets
Please note that at some of these schools most students take AP tests and a smaller percentage do at some schools.